Text by Dawoud Kringle
The world of music was saddened to learn of the passing of bassist Thomas Michael Stevens / T.M. Stevens (a.k.a. Shaka Zulu).
Born in New York City on July 28, 1951, Stevens studied biology in school, but at the suggestion of his professor decided to drop out to focus on music. He honed his skills by playing in after-hours clubs around the city. He soon became established on the scene and began working as a session musician who excelled in a wide range of genres.
Text by Daowud Kringle
Pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer Carla Bley’s death was confirmed by her longtime partner, collaborator, and MFM member, Steve Swallow.
Born Lovella May Borg in 1936 in Oakland, California, Bley was introduced to the piano at the age of three. She left school at 14 and began her musical journey playing piano in Bay Area jazz clubs. At 17, she moved to New York and worked for a short time at the iconic jazz club Birdland. She met pianist Paul Bley, who encouraged her to start composing. She toured with him under the name Karen Borg before changing her name in 1957 to Carla Borg. She married Bley and took his name the same year. They divorced in 1967, but she continued to use the surname in a professional capacity.
Bley would become known as a composer. Some of the musicians who’d recorded Bley’s compositions included George Russel, Jimmy Giuffre, and Paul Bley (whose album Barrage consisted entirely of her compositions).
By Dawoud Kringle
One of the most iconic and prolific songwriters, guitarists, producers, and rock journeymen, Robbie Robertson, passed on August 9th 2023. He was 80 years old.
Robertson was born on July 5th, 1943 and grew up on the Six Nations Reservation near Ontario Canada. He became interested in rock & roll music at a young age, and started playing guitar. He was mentored in playing guitar by his older cousin Herb Myke and other family members.
At the age of fourteen, he worked summer jobs in the travelling carnival circuit.
In 1956 Robertson, along with pianist/vocalist Bruce Morshead and guitarist Gene MacLellan formed their first band, Little Ceaser and the Consuls. In 1957 he formed Robbie and the Rhythm Chords. They changed the name to Robbie and the Robots after they watched the film Forbidden Planet (which featured the character Robbie the Robot).Later, Roberston and Pete Traynor (founder of Traynor amplifiers) joined with pianist Scott Cushnie and became The Suedes. They caught the attention of Ronnie Hawkins. Eventually, Hawkins recruited Roberston for his band Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks. Levon Helm was also in the band (and guitar virtuoso Roy Buchanan played with them briefly; and had an influence on Roberson’s style of guitar playing). In 1961, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, and Garth Hudson joined Hawkins. Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks cut sessions for Roulette Records throughout 1961–1963, all of which Robertson appeared on.
Text by by Dawoud Kringle
Wednesday, July 26th, 2023, iconic Irish singer Sinead O’Conner died.
DooBeeDoo and MFM salutes the memory of Shuhada Sadaqat / Sinead O’Connor; an artist with immense talent, and a woman of powerful convictions and sufficient courage to stand by both. Her example as an artist and activist stands as an object lesson for us all.
O’Connor was born in Dublin Ireland on December 8th 1966. In 1979, O’Connor left her mother and went to live with her father in Alexandria, VA. At the age of 15, her shoplifting and truancy led to her being placed for 18 months in a Magdalene Asylum (a kind of Catholic reform school for young women who became pregnant outside of marriage, or young girls and teenagers who did not have familial support). While she disliked the conformity imposed upon her, and struggled with a great deal of family problems, she used her time to develop her songwriting.
By Dawoud Kringle
Writing tributes to recently deceased musicians is never easy. It is especially difficult when the deceased not only had hit records but created a hit catalog, released more than 70 albums, won 19 Grammys (most of which he won after he reached his 60s), enjoyed deep and lasting affection and respect from fans and fellow artists, and almost single handedly embodied an entire genre and musical tradition spanning three quarters of a century.
Copyright: © MARK SELIGER
Tony Bennett was born Anthony Dominick Benedetto in Astoria, Queens, New York on Aug. 3, 1926, to Italian immigrant parents. He began singing as a child, and studied music and painting, at New York’s High School of Industrial Art. His vocal influences included Al Jolson, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday and Judy Garland.
